La Crosse Fire Chief Ken Gilliam’s Annual Community Report for 2019 reflects optimism, even as he acknowledges that 2020’s continuing COVID-19 curse presents whole new challenges.
Among the highlights of the year were responding to an increased annual volume totaling more than 6,800 incidents, recording no civilian fire casualties in 2019 and achieving cardiac arrest survival rates far above national averages, Gilliam wrote. “While the future is always uncertain, my taking this opportunity to look backwards has provided me comfort in knowing that the dedicated men and women of the La Crosse Fire Department will undoubtedly continue to rise to the occasion, no matter what crisis is thrown at them as public servants,” Gilliam wrote in his opening letter.